Friday, September 7, 2012

The difference between faith and fact is the difference between reality and illusion. Facts are real and undeniable, faith is belief in that which cannot be proven factual. The two have no relationship and oppose each other, to accept one is to repudiate the other. Facts are evidence based on reason and reality removing any doubt, facts win over belief or imagination or wishful thinking. They guide us through rationalization in our daily lives which without we would be in trouble. A rational approach starts with data and then works
towards a conclusion, belief starts with the
conclusion and then works backwards looking for data that fits. In this regard theological explanation of reality - or belief - is trounced by scientific explanation of reality - or facts. Ultimately facts are something that exist, the truth. A truth based on actual experience and observation.

Faith on the other hand is belief in the absence of reason, something that is not based on proof. At one time all things were attributed to gods but as science has been
able to explain them man has backed up and stopped making some claims,
but goes on to continue saying that what's left unexplained is the works
of gods. When the religious are confronted with facts profane ad hominem attacks follow because their views are shaped by faith and not facts and faith cannot explain facts. All religions share a prime﻿ universally common trait, (belief in
lack of evidence i.e 'faith') most can be generalized in conversation
and debate for utter lack of evidence. This is where in essence the scientific method is turned inside out. The
virtuous thing is to just believe, to accept what you are told is
truth, and that questioning or even looking for proof or evidence is a
bad thing to do.

Faith is not subject to critical﻿ thought. It is only subject to critical FEELING. As if emotions were the key to knowledge. Also, interestingly/suspiciously in the faith tradition the lack of
critical thought (aka questioning) of faith is thought to be a virtue. It unequivocally stipulates without any shred of evidence that god is a concept to describe the life force that bonds everything together. For example: A young person starts researching his or her religion only to create﻿
doubt that their religion is correct. This person goes to the local
preacher and asks what he/she should do. The preacher responds "you must
have faith".
This simple statement tells the young person to ignore the evidence and believe regardless. Here the mind is shaped and boxed to only accept a certain view regardless of the objectivity of reason/reality and life of fear begins because without fear religion cannot exist on faith alone. Blind reliance on miracles, angels, demons and other supernatural
invisible beings take precedent, inoculating the individual from
rationality. This also exemplifies the established correlation between religiosity and low educational attainment.

The relationship between religiosity and lower intelligence and that between higher educational attainment and lower religiosity (religion vs intelligence) stems from the religious' intuitive thinking processes and the non-religious' reflective and analytical thinking respectively. And although both (intuitive thinkers and analytical thinkers) may possess similar understanding of fact versus faith the thinking styles differ significantly. Intuitive thinkers incorrigibly maintain childhood indoctrination whereas critical thinkers comprehensively analyze, question and reflect objectively. This type of thinkers tend to place greater emphasis on emotion compared to the other group, and prevalent in developing countries.

The critical component of fear in religion blurs reality and facts to sustain the belief system much of which is presented as self righteousness. Maintaining religious domination which clearly lacks facts and truth requires utilization of fear as a primal weapon. In early human evolution the survival instinct of fear has been exploited by religions for a variety of reasons. Constant fear is a mind killer. The acceptability of the idea of religious observance as a consequence of fear of death, hell, etc, remains accentuated to this day.

There have been thousands upon thousands of gods/faiths invented by men throughout the ages. Gods come and gods go, and yet not one has ever actually done anything
or actually been seen or heard by anyone. Factually speaking none merit actuality since all are based on stories told ad nauseum without any regard for facts. (People have claimed to see
or hear a god, but this can be discounted as hallucination or mental
illness.) If religions were fact-based there would be no need for fear and brainwashing of susceptible young minds because facts would be presented instead. Faith is emotion based and shouldn't be confused with facts and reality. This rudimentary compartmentalization of religiosity, although vague,
requires more comprehensive understanding and elucidation because of
catastrophic consequences associated with it (death and destruction in
appeasement of the unknown).

geeldoonI have read Gilgemesh on this website. Nun was an Egyptian god which means perimeval waters. He was part god and part human.Among other miracles he raised the boat of life from the bottom of the sea. The koran narrates the story of a prophet called Yonis who is nicknamed `The Nun´ who got angry, sailed in the sea and was swallowed by a whale.The stories of the prophets of Noah and Yonis were copied from the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt respectively.

My name is Guled and I'm really impressed to see Somali people finally waking up from the comma and thinking clearly and for themselves.

How can religion, dangerous illusion, be a force for anything other than divisiveness and emotional manipulation of people? Imprinting children with imaginary narratives that employ scare tactics to maintain a constituency, is particularly odious.

From animal cruelty to that of physical harm to children, how can modern societies endorse the magical rites of ancient cultures essentially validating acts and beliefs from our primitive past? We need more educated youth to save our future from big bearded men with minimal education who want to rule through delusion and away from facts and reality.

Guled: "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." Said Seneca, but I think religious people are not stupid because they're religious. Stupid people are religious because they're stupid, religion declines in proportion to rise in education. To believe in something without proof means you're taking it on "faith" -- and when you do that, you might as well admit you believe in all sorts of fanciful creatures, like vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc. After all, the same amount of proof exists in each category.

Barhuch Spinoza in the mid 17th century had it right when he basically said that religion was based on superstition and therefore has no basis in fact. Religion is the most degenerate, dangerous, and harmful artifact ever developed by humankind. All religions are the same and they rely on faith in a supra-natural entity, a god or gods, whatever particular name it is given. The original state of a human is non-religious; all religions are learned psychoses.

I'm glad that I came I cross this article and all of you brothers made strong points about realigion. Itbhas no basis and I feel sad when I constantly argue with my mom and dad regarding its validity. I'm told that I'm sick and islam will help the somali people and I question where was the Muslim world when somalia was dying of starvation. How many arab countries had a reconciliation plans for somalia? How much money did they donate? How many troops have they sent? Then compare the answers to my questions with other arab countries with current or previous turmoils. Religion is a political tool used to control masses of people. Africa would have excelled in science hadn't been for religion.

Read your comments and, in the main you all seem quite intelligent and informed. Your opinions are based on your experiences and exposure to various situations, some of which I can't pretend to really understand having never gone to Africa. What I do know is this. There are far more intelligent and learned men than you who do believe in God. Men who have sought to prove God doesn't exist and failed. Perhaps faith is a filter used by God. It would be true that by exposing Himself and, therefore, creating a more factual 'footprint' and leaving no doubt of His existence God would have more followers. Men like you would then have no doubts. Perhaps his plan only includes those who have faith. I don't know and I certainly know you don't know either. You just think you do. You are all simply educated men with opinions based on your experiences. God will confuse even the wisest of men. MANY would argue science is proving God exists. Food for thought